Strange Aeons 2: The Thrushmoor Terror [IC]

[bcool999]

Jens

Jens will go with Jaume, if only to patch him up when something inevitably attempts to kill and eat the friar.

[digiman619]

Flair joins his teammates; this town is nowhere near safe enough that he feels he can trust something not to try and go after Jaume if it has the chance,

[lostsole31]

Majority, so Vilma will go with ... the group travels up the long, lonely road to the Old Chapel. This temple of Pharasma has been abandoned for more than half a century, since the mad priest Causton Creed alienated his followers and met a mysterious death at the hands of some demonic entity. What exactly happened at Old Chapel remains a mystery, and the few citizens old enough to have witnessed the event are either forgetful or unwilling to talk about it. Still, though the chapel is abandoned, the area around the Old Chapel is still the boneyard where the dead are buried.

[silphael]

"The chapel is abandoned, but they still bury the dead here ? That peculiar at best."

She starts looking for any grave that could have been recently opened.

[lostsole31]

"Well, remember that they have New Chapel where Winter is right now," says Dorn.

It may take a little bit, but they will find Klyn Murik's grave. It isn't "open" but it is "freshly packed." Very freshly packed.

[Blackhawk101]

“Let us take some time to search the area for signs of passing or other clues. Stick together, especially when checking the abandoned chapel.”

Spoiler: crunch

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take 20 to search the graveyard and chapel.

[silphael]

On the way and around the tomb, Vilma looks at the nearby graves, looking at any potential date engraved, and looking for recent tombs.

[lostsole31]

There might be a grave or two in the area of Murik's grave that has dates, and they are all in the past two years.

Spoiler: Taking 20

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Please note, taking 20 means that you are spending 20x as long to search an area. This is why a 5' x 5' square area that normally takes a MA for a search (6 seconds), takes 2 minutes for a Take 20.

[Blackhawk101]

Brother Jaume is Ok taking the time to do a thorough search of the area. We are out of clues at the moment.

[lostsole31]

Given little else, Dorn will likewise knuckle down. However, this is a case where splitting up across the cemetery will be better than trying to do some focused "best searchers" deal. The cemetery has some size to it, but it's not so big that "splitting the party" means that they are out of earshot, if not out of eyeline as well.

[digiman619]

Flair will also begin searching, though he will take the opportunity to address Cody now that he's not surrounded by too many ears. "Well, Cody? Any insights you want to add here?" he asks, his voice quiet.

[digiman619]

He continues in a low voice. "Well, the townsfolk distrusts us, our lead from That Damned Island has come up empty, and now we're looking to where that Revenant came from in case that turns up anything. We're no closer to figuring out what's going on in this town, and even if I wanted to just declare that it's not my problem, I can't leave because I literally can't afford to right now." He sighed, "But other than that; I'm fine."

[digiman619]

Flair continued his one-sided conversation by sighing. "I want to do the job I've accepted, and find out what's going on in this town. No one wants to talk to us, let alone help us and I haven't had a restful sleep in days. I feel like I'm grasping at straws here."

He then blinked before continuing. "Oh yeah, you were still asleep when that happened. We're working for the Sleepless Detective Agency as outside contractors. We're to assist them in trying to deal with issues around town. Our most recent job was to That Damned Island to investigate some strange lights. We took some time trying to get through her defenses. Around that time, you came back online, so you know the rest from there."

Another pause, another sigh. "It's admittedly vague, but there's unease in the town and we're tasked with trying to root it out. It's why the lead from That Damned Island seemed so promising, but no one has any clue who this 'Melisenn' person could be."

Pinching his brow, he continued. "Not yet, but that's part of the problem. None of the townsfolk particularly trust us, so trying to get information out of them is tricky. Besides, we'll have to wait towards nightfall to talk to most of the town as they're currently out fishing."

He paused, though there was an awkwardness to it. "So your suggestion is to continue asking around town trying to see if anyone knows who recognizes the name Melisenn and can point us in their direction?" There was then a longer, more awkward pause which he finally broke with a sigh. "I guess that'll have to do."

[bcool999]

Jens

To aid in the searching of the cemetery, Jens will check Collective connections and leave the communication channel open, before beginning his search of the cemetery.

Spoiler: Jens >>> Collective

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"I haven't thoroughly tested the range of the collective, but if we split up this should help us keep in contact even if we can't see one another."

[lostsole31]

After a whole day of searching in the cemetery, with Jens acting as central C&C, the group resolves that for all the strangeness that is in the town, there is nothing in the cemetery that seems to be germane to your investigations. What now?

[Blackhawk101]

Dejected once again, BJ attempts to lighten everyone’s spirits by regaling them with “fascinating” facts about wine and wine making.
“Did you know that an Ol’ Mossy white is best paired with breaded, pan fried trout!”
Brother Jaume suggestion is that they try searching areas of town they have yet to visit tomorrow; perhaps the abandoned bookstore “The book-layer” for some research?

[digiman619]

Flair will suggest asking around the bar again, see if any of the townsfolk have heard of this Melisennperson, though he will perk up at the mention of a books store; no doubt its abandoned-ness being why he hadn't heard of it before.

[Blackhawk101]

BJ heads back to the inn for a meal and rest.

[silphael]

Once back in town, during the early hours of the evening, Vilma plans to go ask some questions around : it's likely that, given she isn't directly related to the case, she would get slightly more answers.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'll try to gather some information, using Oath of Anonymity (+10 to disguise, but only to hide my identity, not impersonate someone. Since it's a level 0 spell, I'll refresh it as often as needed (10 minutes/level to begin with))

[lostsole31]

The group gets back to the Silver Wagon, and after dinner Vilma will peel off to learn what she can learn. One person is more likely to talk someone up rather than a gang of six wild individuals that the town mistrusts for being (former) ruffians.

So, Vilma will be out of action for a bit while she does a private inquiry. What does the rest of the group do at The Silver Wagon? Do you drink? play games? Anything special?

[Blackhawk101]

BJ will eat a meal and chat with the group about tomorrow’s plans.
“Want to try the bookstore or somewhere else?”

[lostsole31]

Kris seems totally unenthused by the prospect of reading.

"Why, exactly?" Dorn asks. "Though it beats any lack of any current leads, of course."

[Blackhawk101]

“Something strange is happening here in this place and to us. I want …no, I need answers! Maybe if check the home of our former “employer” the Count we will turn up something. Heading to Iris hill is also an option.”

[lostsole31]

Dorn looks at Brother Jaume oddly. "Um, aren't they one and the same?"

[digiman619]

Flair sighs. A clam, relaxing day of looking through books would almost be a vacation from what he's been dealing with lately.

[Blackhawk101]

BJ looks at Dorn in confusion. “I meant also an option opposed to the bookstore.”

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: Vilma

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As Vilma is heading back to meet up with the rest of the group (four hours later) at the Silver Wagon, she hears a strange sound, a sort of keening or wailing. As she gets closer, she sees an old woman no taller than five feet, but plump and matronly, wearing all black and with a thin skein of black material as a veil. That is when Vilma notices there is something very wrong with the woman's face and body, even noting two tentacles coming from her midsection.



Vilma, what do you do?

[silphael]

Spoiler: GM

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Analyzing the woman's aura, starting with Evil and Law (detect alignment), Vilma tries to jauge her.

"Who are you, and what happened to you ?"

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: Vilma

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Vilma doesn't sense any evil in the area he's looking (which includes this freaky woman) when she rushes forward, wailing in tears, throwing herself at the ground at Vilma's feet, sobbing. When she touches Vilma's feet ... her hands going through the feet as if the feet weren't really there, or maybe it's the hands, Vilma feels some of that loss of self herself (3 CHA damage). The woman disappears.

Vilma, roll a SAN check.

[silphael]

Spoiler: GM

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Silently, she returns to the inn.